Radiopaque clamp

ABSTRACT

A surgical clamp of the scissors type, adapted to be locked closed and having knurled clamping surfaces which can be brought into contact, straight edge clamping portions which cannot be brought into contact, and an opening between the pivot point and handles through which a tube can be passed and held while the first named clamping surfaces are engaged with a support such as a bed sheet, the two halves of the clamp being identical and being injection molded of glass-fiber-filled nylon.

[451 Jan. 22, 1974 nited States Patent 91 Ericson Brown et al. 264/108[5 RADIOPAQUE CLAMP r J c n U r a M w 3T m S in WC m C r r 0 e 1 mm m xA E y W a m PA m HN NH H y wa n u nM m. c nn El mB M RC 6. 0 mm m we hAUN 77 July 14, 1971 Appl. No.2 168,785

[57] ABSTRACT A surgical clamp of the scissors type, adapted to be [22]Filed:

locked closed and having knurled clamping surfaces which can be broughtinto contact, straight edge clamping portions which cannot be broughtinto contact, and an opening between the pivot point and handles throughwhich a tube can be passed and held while the first narned clampingsurfaces are engaged References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS with asupport such as a bed sheet, the two halves of the clamp being identicaland being injection molded of glass- 8/1969 Miller, Jr. 2,468,823 5/1949Housepian 3/1972 128/321 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures l RADIOIPAQUE CLAMPIt is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive, disposableradiopaque surgical clamp having great strength and adaptibility forvarious uses, including attachments of tubing to bed clothes or to othersurgical accessories (e.g., drapes) or even to human skin, with thetubing either patent or occluded, the clamp being releasably lockable.

The clamp operates, mechanically, not with the outer-end hinging oftweezers or forceps, but rather in the manner of scissors, hinged at acrossing point between the ends of identical halves. Pertinent butdifferent examples of instruments operating in this manner are disclosedin l-lousepian US. Pat. No. 2,468,823 and Eizenberg U.S. Pat. No.3,404,683.

The clamping surfaces are suitably oval in outline and knurled, withadditional clamping edges on the minor arms of the instrument betweensaid surfaces and the pivot point, said edges being so located that theycan be moved toward each other, as the clamp is closed, but will stopout of contact when the clamping surfaces have been brought together.Adjacent the finger loops the major arms are provided with conventionalcomplementary sawtooth latching means adapted to hold the major arms ata plurality of selected spacings while the clamping surfaces are engagedand the clamping edges substantially uniformly spaced.

A practical embodiment of the invention in shown in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents an elevation of the clamp, in open position;

FIG. 2 represents an edge view of the clamp, in closed position;

FIG. 3 represents an elevation of the clamp, in closed position;

FIG. 4 represents a detail face view of one of the minor arms as viewedfrom the line IV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 represents a perspective view of the clamp in use, gripping theside of a bed and retaining in position a drainage tube, and

FIG. 6 represents a perspective view of the clamp in use, occluding adrainage tube.

Referring to the drawings, it will be noted that the two halves of theclamp are identical, each comprising a major arm 1, a minor arm 2, apivot portion 3, a finger loop 4, a saw-tooth latching finger 5 adjacentthe finger loop, a knurled clamping surface 6 at the free end of theminor arm 2 and a straight flat clamping edge 7 between the portion 3and the surface 6. Each pivot portion 3 has a flat land 3' lying in themedial longitudinal plane of the clamp and said portions are perforatedto receive a rivet 8 which holds the lands 3' in facing relation andserves as a pivot.

Each clamping surface 6 is shown as having an oval outline and lying ina plane perpendicular to the plane of the land 3 Each flat straightclamping edge 7 is constituted by an edge of a flat web or blade 9projecting from the minor arm 2 and spaced from the surface 6 andextending to pivot portion 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the edges 7 are sodisposed that they remain spaced and substantially parallel when theclamp is closed. The latching fingers 5 are of a length such that anopen space 10 remains between the major arms 1 when the latch is engagedin any one of its positions (shown as numbering three), the width of thespace 10 being variable according to the number of teeth which areengaged. At the base of each row of saw teeth is a projecting stop 1 l,in a position to engage the end of the opposite finger 5 and thus limitrelative motion in the closing direction.

The clamp halves may conveniently be made by injection molding, using aradiopaque compound of nylon and glass fibers in substantially equalproportion. This material sets to form a stiff, strong unit, withsufficient elasticity to permit the clamping of various sized objectsbetween the surfaces 6, and engagement of the latch by means of one, twoor three teeth for varying degrees of security.

Examples of the manner in which the clamp may be used are illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6. In FIG. 5 a drainage tube DT passes through the openspace 10 while a bight of the bed sheet BS is strongly gripped betweenthe clamping surfaces, the clamp here serving the purpose for which thecrude make-shift of rubber band and safety pin are commonly provided.The tube DT is held freely or with light frictional engagement betweenthe arms I, ll, depending on the CD. of the tube and position of thelatch. In FIG. 6 the drainage tube DT is held between the clamping edges7,7 and is tightly occluded by their pinching action. The closingpressure between the surfaces 6,6 is such that the clamp can benondestructively engaged with an edge or flap of skin, and the edges 7,7may be used as a hemostat. If a larger opening between said edges isdesired for a special situation, one or both of the edges may be groundor pared down to provide as much space as needed.

What I claim is:

l. A surgical clamp constituted by two identical members, each memberhaving a pivot portion, a major arm extending in one direction from saidportion, a minor arm extending in an opposite direction from saidportion, a finger loop on the free end of the major arm and extendinglaterally therefrom latching means on the major arm, adapted to hold theclamp in at least one closed position, a clamping surface on the freeend of the minor arm, and a flat web integral with the minor arm,between the pivot portion and said clamping surface, a free edge of saidweb constituting a clamping edge, the pivot portion having a flat: landlying in a plane longitudinally medial of the arms, finger loop,clamping surface and flat web, said identical members being pivotallyconnected by a pivot element passing through the pivot portions to holdthe flat lands in faceto-face relation.

2. A surgical clamp according to claim 1 formed of a stiff, slightlyresilient radiopaque material.

3. A surgical clamp according to claim 2 in which the material is nylonreinforced with glass fibers.

4. A surgical clamp according to claim 1 wherein the clamping edges areso disposed that they remain out of contact when the clamping surfacesare brought into contact.

5. A surgical clamp according to claim 4 wherein the space between saidedges in their closed position is such as to occlude a tube placedtherebetween without damage to such a tube.

1. A surgical clamp constituted by two identical members, each memberhaving a pivot portion, a major arm extending in one direction from saidportion, a minor arm extending in an opposite direction from saidportion, a finger loop on the free end of the major arm and extendinglaterally therefrom latching means on the major arm, adapted to hold theclamp in at least one closed position, a clamping surface on the freeend of the minor arm, and a flat web integral with the minor arm,between the pivot portion and said clamping surface, a free edge of saidweb constituting a clamping edge, the pivot portion having a flat landlying in a plane longitudinally medial of the arms, finger loop,clamping surface and flat web, said identical members being pivotallyconnected by a pivot element passing through the pivot portions to holdthe flat lands in face-to-face relation.
 2. A surgical clamp accordingto claim 1 formed of a stiff, slightly resilient radiopaque material. 3.A surgical clamp according to claim 2 in which the material is nylonreinforced with glass fibers.
 4. A surgical clamp according to claim 1wherein the clamping edges are so disposed that they remain out ofcontact when the clamping surfaces are brought into contact.
 5. Asurgical clamp according to claim 4 wherein the space between said edgesin their closed position is such as to occlude a tube placedtherebetween without damage to such a tube.